Department for Transport

Drones Update

Mr John Hayes: My Noble Friend, the Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Transport (Baroness Sugg) has made the following Ministerial Statement.Today I am setting out new measures the Government is taking to ensure the UK remains at the forefront of the exciting and fast-growing drones market, while putting the correct legislative framework in place to guarantee it is also safe and secure. As the Government’s Industrial Strategy sets out, we have the potential to cement our status as the leading location where technology companies want to build their businesses, where scientists and engineers drive innovation and where investors want to invest. Drones are an important part of this emerging industry. Our police, fire and search and rescue services all now regularly use drones in emergency situations to help save lives. Drones are also being used to inspect and maintain key national transport infrastructure – reducing the risk of accidents and driving industry productivity and efficiency. UK drone companies are exporting their services across the world, showcasing Britain as a leader in innovative services and generating productivity and growth across a range of sectors. The potential for expansion is significant, but this is an advancing and developing industry which faces a number of challenges. If we are to realise the full potential of this new technology, we must also maintain our world class aviation safety record and address certain safety and privacy concerns. In response to our consultation on drones, we committed to a review of the current powers available to law enforcement agencies. My department has been working with the police, the Home Office and the Ministry of Justice. This review has highlighted some gaps, reflective of how aviation technology is being used in such a broad and varied way across many industries and by the public. This can pose extra challenges for the police when investigating and prosecuting crimes, and when carrying out their duties to protect safety and security more generally. As such, we will look to include in our draft bill new police powers where drone users would need to produce registration documents on request, ground a drone safely in certain circumstances and the ability to seize and retain a drone’s components if there is reasonable suspicion of it having been involved in an offence. The consultation response also set out our intention to explore the concept of mandating the use of safety and airspace awareness apps. The draft bill will build the regulatory framework to ensure these apps meet required standards and issue correct information. These kinds of apps give drone users easy access to the data they need to determine if a flight can be safely and legally made. Apps can also make it possible for drone users to make their flights visible to other airspace users, making drone use more accountable and transparent. As well as safety issues, apps can help avoid compromising the security of surrounding organisations or industries such as national infrastructure, government and military sites. The app’s information can also advise on any particularly sensitive local sites, such as schools and residential areas, to respect the privacy of others. Alongside the publication of the draft bill next Spring, we will create the powers necessary for registration and leisure pilot testing through amendments to the Air Navigation Order (ANO), and we are developing the technical systems and educational materials that will be needed to implement these. The Government is also reviewing the potential restriction of all drones flying above 400ft, as well as the use of drones within the proximity of an airport. Subject to the outcome of this review, we will also look to include these measures in the ANO amendment in Spring 2018. Finally, I want to update Parliament on progress with Project Chatham. This is the data project we announced in our consultation response to improve geo-fencing – when drones can be restricted from entering into ‘no-fly zones’ using the drone’s inbuilt GPS to find its location and prevent it from continuing if it approaches a restricted zone. A group comprising departmental experts, the Civil Aviation Authority, and NATS (the national air traffic service provider), has been set up and is progressing well. To implement geo-fencing effectively this group is looking at how we release information on the UK’s airspace restrictions in a format that manufacturers and tech developers can easily use. We are working to have a sample set of data ready for wider engagement with stakeholders by Spring 2018. When fully developed, the data will help drone users fly safely in accordance with the rules.Our approach will keep Britain at the forefront of the global market, whilst delivering a flexible framework for a safe, secure and successful drones industry.


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Department for Work and Pensions

Social Security Benefit and Pension Up-rating 2018/19

Caroline Dinenage: I am pleased to announce the proposed social security benefit and pension rates for 2018/19. I have attached the table of rates to this statement and I will place a copy of the proposed benefit and pension rates 2018/19 in the House Library. The annual up-rating of benefits will take place for state pensions and most other benefits in the first full week of the tax year. In 2018, this will be the week beginning 9 April. A corresponding provision will be made in Northern Ireland.The annual up-rating process takes into account a variety of measures:The basic and new State Pension will be increased by the Government’s ‘triple lock’ commitment, meaning that they will be up-rated in line with the highest of prices, earnings or 2.5% - in this case CPI at 3%.The legislative requirement for the Pension Credit Standard Minimum Guarantee is that it is increased at least in line with earnings. However to protect the poorest pensioners, the Pension Credit Standard Minimum Guarantee will be up-rated by the same cash amount as the rise in the full rate of the basic State Pension.Benefits linked to the additional costs of disability, and for carers, are increased by the annual rise in prices, as reflected in the Consumer Price Index (CPI). A number of other elements – including Non-Dependant Deductions (NDDs) – will also be up-rated in line with prices.The majority of working-age benefits have been frozen at their 2015/16 levels for four years under the Welfare Reform and Work Act 2016.The list of proposed benefit and pension rates also includes a change to the Carer’s Allowance Earnings Rule, which will be increased for 2018/19 from £116 to £120 a week. 



Benefit and pension rates 2018-19
(PDF Document, 272.77 KB)





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Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport

Publication of the Tailored Review of the Heritage Lottery Fund and National Heritage Memorial Fund

John Glen: I am today publishing the tailored review of the Heritage Lottery Fund and National Heritage Memorial Fund, which launched on 23 February 2017. The review sought to provide assurance of the continuing need for the National Heritage Memorial Fund (NHMF), including its activities operating as the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF), and to identify opportunities to strengthen its effectiveness, efficiency and governance. The review concluded that the organisation’s functions of distributing National Lottery funding and providing a fund of last resort for heritage at risk of loss to the nation remained vital, and should continue to be delivered in the current model of a Non-Departmental Public Body. The review found that HLF’s role in distributing funding for heritage was seen as crucial to the conservation of heritage assets, to engaging communities across the UK with their heritage, and to providing support for heritage organisations to survive and thrive. Whilst HLF has a good reputation in the sector, the review found scope for it to become a more strategic organisation by clarifying its priorities; strengthening its partnerships with other heritage organisations and National Lottery distributors; using its data more effectively; and focusing on supporting the sustainability of the heritage sector and heritage assets, including by supporting skills capability in key areas such as digital engagement. The review also recommended that HLF focus its efforts to promote inclusion and diversity by developing a strategy for engaging underrepresented groups and by streamlining its grant application processes. Whilst HLF is a relatively lean organisation, the review supported its efforts to become more efficient, including by reducing its estate, developing an internal digital strategy, and ensuring its consultant network - the Register of Support Services - is cost-effective. Additionally, there are recommendations for the governments of the UK to clarify priorities for the heritage sector, to update the Policy Directions given to HLF, and to work with HLF to promote the intrinsic, economic and social value of heritage. The review was carried out by DCMS with input from the Scottish Government, Welsh Government and Northern Ireland Executive given the UK-wide nature of NHMF/HLF. The review was carried out with the full participation of NHMF/HLF, and an independent Challenge Panel was appointed to assure its robustness and impartiality. The review gathered evidence from a range of stakeholders from across government, from the cultural and natural heritage sectors and others with an interest in heritage, and through a public consultation. I would like to thank all those who contributed evidence to the review. The report is available at: www.gov.uk/government/publications/tailored-review-of-the-heritage-lottery-fund-and-national-heritage-memorial-fund

Department for Education

Correction

Nick Gibb: Information supplied by the Data Modernisation Division of the Department for Education has been identified as containing incorrect facts in the response provided to three Parliamentary Questions from the Honourable Member for Brighton Pavilion concerning the volume of children’s records passed onto the police and the Home Office (PQ48634, PQ48635 and PQ52645) and in figures quoted during a House of Lords Debate on the 31 of October 2016 on the Education (Pupil Information) (England) (Miscellaneous Amendments) Regulations 2016.Following the identification of this issue, the accuracy of all previously supplied figures relating to these uses of National Pupil Database have also been checked. Rigorous new processes have now been put in place to ensure the robustness of all current and future figures.In response to PQ48634 and PQ48635, the correct figures are that 33 access requests of the NPD data were made by the Police during the period in question and 16 of these resulted in data being shared. Information about 62 pupils was shared.In response to PQ48634 and PQ48635, the correct figures are that during the period in question, requests relating to a total of 2,461 individuals had been made by the Home Office to DfE and 531 records had been identified within DfE data and returned.In response to PQ 52645 the correct figures are that 531 records sent to the Home Office were related to pupils and 1,930 of 2,461 requests were not returned due to DfE not being able to find a match within the NPD for those records.


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Department for International Trade

Trade Matters

Dr Liam Fox: The Secretary of State has announced the Government’s decision to appoint nine Her Britannic Majesty's Trade Commissioners (HMTCs) to head the overseas operations for the Department of International Trade (DIT). These HM Trade Commissioners will lead export promotion, investment (inward and overseas direct investment) and trade policy overseas. These are Senior Civil Service appointments and a fair and open recruitment competition will begin shortly, in line with Civil Service Commission principles.


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